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Parkinson's experts have been noticing a remarkable phenomenon – some of their patients have developed impressive creative talents.

The link between Parkinson's and artistic abilities was brought to the attention of the world two years ago by Professor Rivka Inzelberg of Tel Aviv University in Israel.

Now she has completed the first empirical study to verify a link between Parkinson's disease and creativity, which the study suggests may be down to drugs used to treat the disease.

Parkinson's experts have been noticing a remarkable phenomenon – some of their patients have developed impressive creative talents

Professor Inzelberg first noticed the trend in her own Sheba Medical Centre clinic when the usual holiday presents from patients - typically chocolates or similar gifts took a surprising turn.

'Instead, patients starting bringing us art they had made themselves,' she said.

Bringing together case studies from around the world, Professor Inzelberg examined the details of each patient to uncover a common underlying factor – all were being treated by similar drugs.

Drugs to increase the activity of dopamine in the brain are taken to help treat motor symptoms in Parkinson's patients such as tremors and muscle rigidity (left). This can also increase a patient's creative powers. On the right is a painting by one of Professor Inzelberg's patients

These were either synthetic precursors of dopamine or dopamine receptor agonists, which increase the amount of dopamine activity in the brain.

Parkinson's is a degenerative condition that occurs when nerve cells in the brain die, causing a lack of the chemical dopamine; this, in turn, interferes with movement and co-ordination.

While the cause is not clear it's thought genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to pesticides and herbicides, may play a part, although this has not been proven. 

Drugs to increase the activity of dopamine in the brain are taken to help treat motor symptoms in Parkinson's patients such as tremors and muscle rigidity.

But it's also involved in the brain's 'reward system' – the area Professor Inzelberg predicts is associated with increasing creativity.

Dopamine and artistry have long been connected, she points out, citing the example of the Vincent Van Gogh, who suffered from psychosis.

It's possible that his creativity was the result of this psychosis, thought to be caused by a spontaneous spiking of dopamine levels in the brain.

There are seemingly no limits to the types of artistic work for which patients develop talents, observes Professor Inzelberg.

Cases include an architect who began to draw and paint human figures after treatment, and a patient who, after treatment, became a prize-winning poet though he had never been involved in the arts before.

It's possible that these patients are expressing latent talents they never had the courage to demonstrate before, she suggests.

Professor Inzelberg's latest research, which looks at clear evidence that creativity might be due to obsessive tendencies, was published this week in the journal Annals of Neurology.

According to James Hamblin writing in The Atlantic, Professor Inzelberg concluded there was no relationship between the creativity she had been noticing and any degree of compulsive behaviour.

The patients with Parkinson's disease did significantly better than their unafflicted peers in terms of verbal and visual creativity and novel thinking.

'These results support a genuine change in neuropsychological processes underlying creativity,' the Annals study concluded.

Professor Rivka Inzelberg of Tel Aviv University has completed the first empirical study to verify a link between Parkinson's disease and creativity, which the study suggests may be down to drugs used to treat the disease